The Specific Food Consumption Pattern and Blood Lipid Profiles of Korean Adults

Kim, Youngok

Abstract

Unlike studies of Europeans and Americans, many epidemiological studies of the Korean population have indicated that their risk for cardiovascular disease does not decrease with a vegetable-rich diet. The different dietary practices of Koreans, who consume salted vegetables instead of fresh vegetables (common in the Western diet), has been suggested as a reason for this observation. Korea is in a period of rapid epidemiologic transition, which includes dietary and disease patterns; therefore, this study investigated differences in the food consumption pattern and blood lipid profiles of Koreans compared to Europeans and Americans. The identification of dietary patterns related to blood lipid abnormalities was carried out using the 2007~2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey data from 14,056 subjects. Dietary patterns were analyzed according to food group and nutrient intake. Blood lipid abnormalities were classified into three groups: hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and low HDL cholesterolemia (hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia). The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia was 12.4%, 16.2%, and 27.7% respectively. In our analysis, the low consumption of all food groups was related to hypercholesterolemia. The high consumption of vegetable-containing foods, alcoholic beverages, and the low consumption of milk products were associated with hypertriglyceridemia and hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia. Thus, unlike Europeans and Americans, the low consumption of all food groups is related to hypercholesterolemia and a low consumption of milk products is related to hypertriglyceridemia and hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia. Dietary pattern might play a role in epidemiologic transition of Korean. Also, this study implies necessity of further research using longitudinal data.